Orange Creamsicle Krispy Treats

It's been FOREVER since I posted, sorry!! But here's the recipe from the krispy treats that I made for church today and everybody loved!!...and they are on the healthier side..uses olive oil instead of butter and has essential oil in it. So here it is:

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Cups miniature marshmallows
Pinch of sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup White chocolate chips
6-8 drops doTerra Wild Orange Essential Oil
6 cups Krispy Rice Cereal

1. In a large pot, heat Olive Oil on medium. Add marshmallows and salt; stir until completely melted.

2. Remove from heat and blend in the vanilla, white chocolate chips and Wild Orange oil.

3. Add cereal and stir until well combined; pour mixture into a 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with Olive Oil cooking spray. Spread and press down with a sprayed spatula; cool completely.

Recipe is from: Aroma Olive Oil, The Essentials of Healthy and Delicious Cuisine by Micki Sannar (in her book they are called Tangerine Dreamsicle Krispy Rice Treats, but I don't have Tangerine oil and Orange Creamsicle sounded better to me.)

White chocolate oatmeal cookies

 

These were super yummy, but didn't keep to well....now I can't even remember what recipe I used... :(

Cinnamon twists

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"Cream cheese glazed cinnamon twists"

I used my easy bread stick recipe. I rolled it out and spread cinnamon, brown sugar, white chocolate, and cinnamon chips all over it. Then I folded it in half and cut strips with my pizza cutter. Then I twisted each strip and place on cookie sheet to bake according to the bread stick recipe. When they had cooled I make a thinner cream cheese frosting and spread on each one. Delicious! And easy to make in under an hour. (Not quite as good as the old fashioned cinnamon rolls my mom used to make that take a lot longer, but still yummy!)

Pecan toffee waffles

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"Pecan toffee waffles! Yummy!!"

Regular homemade waffle...then I topped it with chopped pecans, toffee chips, homemade syrup, and cool whip. Delicious!!

Quick Cinnamon Rolls

"Quick cinnamon rolls"

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Start to finish: about 40 minutes

Ingredients:

2 1/4 Cups Original Bisquick mix

1/2 Cup Milk

1 Tablespoon butter or margarine, softened

1/4 Cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 Cup brown sugar

1/4 Cup white chocolate chips

1/4 cup cinnamon chips

Glaze:

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 drop cinnamon doTerra essential oil

1 tablespoon milk

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. 
In medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix and 1/2 cup milk until soft dough 
forms. Place dough on surface generously sprinkled with Bisquick mix; 
roll in Bisquick mix to coat. Knead 5 times. 

Press or roll dough into 11 x 8-inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1 tablespoon softened butter. In small bowl mix cinnamon and sugar, 
then sprinkle over dough. Sprinkle brown sugar, white chocolate 
chips, and cinnamon chips over dough; press in slightly. Starting 
with an 11-inch side, roll up dough tightly. Cut into 3/4 inch slices 
(I use a piece of thread to cut, slide middle of thread under roll. 
bring ends of thread up around dough, cross and pull till it cuts through 
the dough) Place slices on cookie sheet. Brush sides with 1 tablespoon melted butter, or spray with spray-butter.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes (13 to 15 in high altitude) or until golden brown. 
Remove from cookie sheet; cool 10 minutes. In a small bowl, mix 
all glaze ingredients, adding more milk if needed till mixture is thin 
enough to drizzle. Drizzle glaze over rolls. Serve warm.

(You don't have to put the white chocolate chips or cinnamon chips 
in yours. You can add whatever you like in yours...chopped nuts, 
chocolate chips, raisins... Also, don't worry if you don't have 
cinnamon oil....I've just started using and selling the oils and wanted 
to try it in these....but it sure does make them yummy!!!)

I took six of these to Kaleb at work, but he only got to eat 2 of them
....he said they were so good that he shared them with some of his 
co-workers. My boys each ate 3 of them.

Zucchini casserole

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"Zucchini casserole"

This is one is a family favorite! Even my boys gobble it up!!

1 box Stove Top Stuffing

1 cube butter

-melt butter and pour over box of stuffing and let stand

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup sour cream

1 cup shredded cheese

6 cups cubed zucchini

1 cup chopped onions

3 cloves garlic, pressed

1 tablespoon olive oil

-In large skillet add olive oil, garlic, and onions. Cook for a couple minutes, then add cubed zucchini and continue cooking until tender. Drain off any extra liquid.

-In a separate bowl, mix cream of mushroom soup, sour cream and shredded cheese and mix well. Then add in veggies. 

-In a 9x13 pan layer 1/3 stuffing mix, then veggie mix, then the rest of stuffing mix.

-Bake at 325 for 25 minutes

Optional items:

-add cubed chicken

-use half zucchini and half yellow summer squash

White Chocolate Molten Cakes and Cake Balls

We loved going to Chili's and sharing a dinner plate so we would have room to order a White Chocolate Molten Cake. We decided we would try making one ourselves. I searched the internet, found some recipes and tried one...not too successful...but yummy cake! Second attempt was even worse! The cake never really baked and was just more like a yucky jelly mess! All this time I was trying to do it the "professional" way where the molten part is baked inside the cakes, but finally gave in and decided to do it the "cheating" way. So I used a Vanilla cake mix and make some of the Texas size cupcakes. After cooling I cut the tops off and used a melon baller to scoop out a well in the center. (Save the tops and part you scoop out to make cake balls with...very yummy) Then freeze your cakes, which will keep the molten from just soaking into the cake. I made some white chocolate runny stuff...not really a recipe...didn't have heavy whipping cream and it was Sunday so I didn't want to go to the store. So I melted about 2/3 a bag of white chocolate chips. Added about 1/2 a can of sweet and condensed milk and then just a little bit of regular milk, to get it to a good consistency. Let your mixture cool a little bit and then fill the well in your little cakes and then return them to the freezer. When you are ready to eat one, turn it upside down on a microwaveable plate and cook for around 30 seconds to no more than a minute. Just enough to melt the inside. Then add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt and enjoy! 

This was sooooo yummy!! But I really still do want to try and make it so the molten is just there in the middle...maybe one day!!! And the other day my parent's took us out to dinner at Chili's and the saddest things happened! They took the White Chocolate Molten Cake off the menu!!!!!

Now you probably want to know more about the cake balls! I can't take credit for this, I saw it on Good Things Utah. So if you want the "actual" recipe you can search on their site.

Crumble up your cooked cake and then add enough frosting to make it moist and mold-able. Shape into small balls or some people like to make them into different shapes or even put them on sucker-type sticks. I like to then freeze mine. It helps them hold together better and helps your chocolate coating to dry quicker. After your cake balls are frozen, melt your chocolate coating. White, dark, regular, colored white chocolate....whatever flavor you decide will be the yummiest with your cake. Then dip or pour to cover each cake ball. While the chocolate is still soft you can add sprinkles and any other decorations. Then let them cool completely. We stuck ours back in the freezer, but you could do the fridge. Or if your house isn't too hot I guess you could leave them out in an air tight container. We shared some of these with our friends the McKee's and they all loved them!!

So for Maxwell and Jensen's birthdays this year I'm going to make cake balls! So much easier to serve and so much fun ideas of different ways to make them. Try a google search and you will find tons of ideas!!! But be careful! They are kinda like chips....no one can eat just one!

Chili Rellano Casserole

from Cooks.com

(The easy way to make Chili Rellanos)

1 lg. can whole green chilies 

               OR 

5 to 7 fresh roasted green chilies

1/2 lb. Monterrey Jack cheese

1/2 lb. longhorn or cheddar cheese

Batter:

3/4 cup flour

2 eggs

1 cup milk

salt and pepper

Wash and remove all seeds, split and drain chilies. Place in a buttered casserole dish, alternating with layers of grated cheese. Mix batter ingredients together and pour over layered chilies and cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until light brown.

Not something your kids will eat? Make them some Mac and Cheese! This is too yummy to waste on picky kids!!!

Alicia's Granola

I've tweaked this recipe several times...may not be done tweaking....but here it is:

*I only use raw nuts, because when you cook them you also roast them. Plus I don't want the extra salt and oils that they put on them.

10 Cups Oatmeal

1 cup flaxseed meal

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup cashews

1 cup almonds

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1 cup pecans

1 cup walnuts

1 cup brazil nuts

2 cups shredded coconut

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Mix all above ingredients together. (If you don't like or don't have one of the item, add some more of another item so you end up with the same amount)

Combine and warm:

1 cup honey

1/3 cup molasses

Stir well and then add:

1 cup Applesauce

Mix well and then pour over dry mixture. Stir well to coat all ingredients. Spread on two, deep cookie sheets. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours till browned completely. Pour into a different pan or bowl to cool. 

Then add:

Raisins and Craisins (or other dried fruit) as desired

DO NOT DOUBLE this recipe...unless you can fit 4 cookie sheets in your oven at once. I tried it...but I can only fit 2 cookie sheets...it took forever for the granola to brown because there was way too much on each sheet.

Grandma Swapp's Ginger Cookies

from my Wonderful Grandma!!

1 egg

2/3 cup margarine

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup molasses

Mix all above ingredients together. 

Then add:

1 cup flour

1 tsp soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cloves

1 tsp ginger

Mix till smooth.

Then add:

1 1/2 cup flour  and mix together

Shape into balls and roll in sugar. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 9 to 11 minutes.

I make smaller cookies because they are sooooo yummy that you'll want to eat more than one and you don't feel as guilty eating 2 cookies if they are small cookies, right??

Easy, Delicious Breadsticks

from my sister Shanna

These take hardly any time to make and use your kitchen aid, so super easy. And you don't even have to let them rise if you don't have time to. I like to make a double batch so we can have them for a couple days or freeze half for later.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 min. 

1 1/2 Cups warm water

1 Tablespoon Yeast

2 Tablespoons Sugar

2 teaspoons Salt

3 1/2 to 4 Cups Flour

Add yeast to warm water and allow to proof (increase in size). Then add in sugar, salt, and 3 1/2 cups of flour. (All in kitchen aid bowl) Use your dough hook and mix completely. If the dough clings to the hook and cleans the sides of the bowl you have enough flour. If not, add a little bit more, allowing it to mix well before you decide you need any more. If your dough is not clinging to the hook and cleaning the sides of the mixing bowl it will be too sticky to work with. Roll out dough to 1/2 inch thick. Cut with pizza cutter into strips. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 - 12 mins. at 400 degrees.

Optional ideas:

*After putting on cookie sheet, let bread sticks raise for 1/2 hour

*Dip each stick in butter before placing on cookie sheet

*Twist each stick a couple times or tie in a knot like a pretzel

*Brush with butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and garlic salt

IMPORTANT NOTE: These bread sticks do NOT darken in color when you cook them. Do not over cook your bread sticks because you are waiting for them to turn golden brown. Instead, cut one open and check if the bread is done.

What's In My Dehydrator Today?

My poor snack cupboard is bare! No homemade fruit leather, granola bars, or breakfast cookies. In no way am I up to making all of those today, but I do have to start somewhere. So out came the blender, homemade applesauce and fresh blackberries from my bountiful basket. Blend and fill trays....then wait for the dehydrator to do it's work. Nothing better than all natural fruit roll-ups! No high-fructose corn syrup or sugar!!

A Recipe for the Thanksgiving Holiday!

Sweet Potato Puff

3 yams/sweet potatoes
8 egg whites
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbs. flour

1 cup brown sugar
4 Tbs. butter
6 Tbs. flour
1 cup chopped pecans (I don't measure, I just use a bunch to cover the top)
Mini-marshmallows

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with no-stick spray. Peel yams and cut into 1 inch squares. Place in a bowl; add about an inch of water, cover with plastic wrap and microwave until tender then drain. OR Use the plastic microwave steaming bags. (I mash the yams with a fork before adding them to the mixing bowl.) While your yams are cooking, beat egg whites until stiff. In a large bowl mix cooked yams, egg whites, sugar, vanilla, and 2 Tbs. flour with an electric mixer, until smooth. Put mixture into prepared 9 x 13 pan. In a small bowl mix brown sugar, butter, and 6 Tbs. flour with a fork. Sprinkle on top of yam mixture. Then lightly cover with pecans, as desired. Bake about 30-45 minutes or until golden brown. Pull out 5 minutes before done and cover with mini-marshmallows. Return to oven and bake just until mellows melt and turn golden brown. Makes 12 servings.

I used to HATE yams growing up. My mom used to make me eat them every Thanksgiving. But she never made them this way!! My little sister, Tricia, got this recipe from her Introductory Foods Class in College. I have taken Sweet Potato Puff to a couple of parties and EVERYBODY has LOVED them!!! I'm making two batches for Thanksgiving this year!!!

HAVE to share this recipe!!!

So my family and I are totally in LOVE with these cookies!! And the best part is that they are healthy!! I love to make a double batch and have them handy for those crazy mornings, just grab a couple cookies and go. If you've ever had the oatmeal breakfast bars they are similar, but much better!!! (I like to add a few white chocolate chips, I know, not healthy, but yummy to have a little bit of that in there...just a few, don't over do it!!)

Healthy Oatmeal Cookies

1 Cup flour (I use 1 1/2 cups because of our higher elevation)
1 1/2 cup Oats
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tablespoon cinnamon (use 1-3 depending on how cinnamony you want them)
1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup Honey
1/2 cup Oil
1 Tablespoon Molasses
1 egg
1 tsp Vanilla

1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts

1. Mix all dry ingredients
2. Mix all wet ingredients
3. Mix wet and dry together. Add raisins and chopped nuts to the mix.
4. Cool mix for 20 minutes in the fridge
5. Preheat oven to 335 degrees
6 Scoop cookies onto creased sheets and press down lightly with a fork
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden on bottom of the cookie

Lasagna Alfredo Roll Ups

This is from allrecipes.com. I found it when I was looking for something to make to take to a friend that doesn't like to eat meat. It is YUMMY. You can also do it traditional lasagna style.

8 lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
or 1 to 2 bags fresh spinach and then cook in pan till lightly wilted
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
1 pint part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
21 ounces Alfredo-style pasta sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add lasagna and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Rinse in cold water and drain well.

2. Meanwhile, in a large sauce pan over medium heat add oil and cook spinach and green onions until tender, stirring frequently. (I also like to add some pressed garlic.) Remove pan from heat and stir in ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt and egg.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

4. Place noodles in a single layer on a sheet of waxed paper. Evenly spread some of the cheese mixture on each noodle. Roll up each noodle from the short end, jelly-roll style.

5. In a 8 x 12 baking dish, spoon about 3/4 of the Alfredo sauce on the bottom and spread evenly. Arrange the rolled noodles, seam side down, in the dish. Top with mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce. Cover loosely with foil and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted. Serve.

Simple Chicken Cordon Bleu

I found this recipe on cooks.com and we LOVE it. To make it even easier we use bottled alfredo sauce.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast
4 slices Swiss or Provolone cheese
4 thin sliced smoked ham
1/4 cup flour
1 egg beaten
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
4 tablespoons butter
for sauce:
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup whipping cream

Place one chicken breast in between plastic wrap and pound to 1/4-inch thickness. Repeat with each breast. (Don't use the spiky side of your pounder, use the flat side or your chicken will fall apart.) Sprinkle each piece on both sides with salt and pepper. Place 1 cheese slice and 1 ham slice on each breast. Roll up each breast using toothpicks to secure if necessary. Dredge each in flour, shake off excess, then in egg and finally in bread crumbs. (You can use plain bread crumbs and then just add some Italian seasoning mix.) Place seam side down in baking dish that has been sprayed with Pam. Place 1 tablespoon butter on each piece of chicken.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes until juices run clear. When done, place chicken on plate and pour sauce over the top.

If you are making the sauce: In a saucepan, combine broth and whipping cream; season to taste (salt, pepper, garlic, oregano). Simmer on low stirring until thickened.

Apple Toffee Salad

I created this recipe one day when I had some apples and cool whip that needed to be used.

Apples cut into bite size pieces (I use 2 per person. I also first cut them with my apple cutter and then cut them down to smaller size.)
Cool whip
Toffee bits (You buy these in the small place in the grocery store as the chocolate chips)

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Serve.

This salad does not keep overnight, so only make as much as will get eaten that day. This is never much of a concern in my family, cause we all love it so much!

Coconut Macaroons

1 (14 oz) bag of coconut
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla
melted white chocolate (or I guess you can do regular chocolate if you really want to)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla together. Scoop cookies onto a well greased cookie sheet. ( I press mine down a little bit.)

Bake for 10-15 minutes. Cookies will be golden brown on the bottom. Remove cookies from pan promptly, as they will stick to the pan if you don't! The bottoms usually spread out a bit and so as I take them off the pan I push the cookies back together to make them look nicer. (Which only matters if you are taking them somewhere.)

Once cool, drizzle the melted white chocolate over the tops of the cookies.

Oven Baked Chimichangas

These are yummy and easy! A couple hints: use thinner tortillas, they roll better. Place the filling off center and start rolling from that side, that way when you finish rolling the seam will be in the right place to keep it from unrolling. And I usually at least double the batch.

2/3 cup salsa
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 oregano
1 1/2 cup shredded chicken
1 cup grated cheese
6 flour tortillas
1 Tablespoon melted butter

Mix first five ingredients. Put 1/2 cup of mix on tortilla, fold sides in then roll from bottom. Place seam side down on cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Brush with melted butter. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. They will be a light golden brown and nice and crispy. Enjoy!!

As Long Ago Promised......

My recipe for my homemade granola bars! The original idea was from Rachel Ray, but I've tweaked the recipe and everyone loves them. I am constantly getting requests for the recipe and so I'm now finally posting! If you have questions, ask! And ENJOY!!!

Alicia's Homemade Granola Bars

2 Cups rolled oats
1 Cup Honey Nut Chex
1 Cup Rice Chex
1 Cup Corn Chex
1 Cup dried fruit bits (I use a 7 fruit blend from Sam's Club)
1/2 Cup white chocolate chips

Add the above ingredients to a large bowl and mix up. Then in a sauce pan over medium-high heat add the following:

1 stick butter/margarine
1/3 cup Honey (if you spray your measuring cup with pam first then the honey comes right out)
1 Cup brown sugar

Stir mixture and continue cooking until it starts bubbling. Then continue stirring and cooking for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and pour over mixture in large bowl. Stir to completely cover mixture. Spread into a 9 x 13 greased pan and gently push down into pan. Put pan into fridge to cool until set. Cut into squares and enjoy! Store in air tight container.

I always have little pieces that have fallen off into the container. I save them and have them for breakfast with some milk, like granola.